California Democrat proposed lifting travel ban to GOP states before Newsom announced tour
A California Democrat has proposed a new legislation to repeal a law that prohibits the use of taxpayer money to send lawmakers to visit Republican states. This comes just one day before Governor Gavin Newsom embarked on a tour to visit those states on the ban list.
The 2016 law that prevented California lawmakers from traveling to Republican-led states was introduced because of policies that “discriminate” against gay and transgender people. State Senate President Pro-Tempore Toni Atkins introduced a bill on Wednesday that would repeal this law. Atkins cited travel complications as part of her reasoning to repeal the 2016 law, noting that the ban has unintentionally isolated members of the LGBT community and has made it harder for California residents to conduct research or business with other states.
Governor Newsom is set to visit Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi this week to promote his newly-created Campaign for Democracy, which targets GOP policies in Republican-led states. Newsom aims to target specific GOP lawmakers, including Govs. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), Greg Abbott (R-TX), and Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R-AR). Newsom’s tour could also spark rumors about whether he is considering a presidential run in 2024. However, recent polls indicate that a majority of California voters (70%) do not want him to run.
The legislation proposed by Atkins would also help to position California as a national leader of inclusivity and as a beacon of hope and support for those who have been isolated by state-sponsored discrimination.
A spokesperson for the governor said that the legislation had nothing to do with Newsom’s travel plans, adding that no taxpayer-funded employees would be joining him on the trip.
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